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by Dan Robinson, Reporter covering Witney and West Oxfordshire. Call me on 01865 425483

A PROJECT to equip 90 per cent of homes and businesses in Oxfordshire with superfast broadband is on track to be completed by the end of next year, say county council bosses.

And another five per cent could have internet speeds of at least 24 megabits per second (mbps) – capable of streaming films easily or for demanding uses such as video-conferencing – by the end of 2016.

Oxfordshire County Council yesterday said it was ahead of schedule in rolling out its £25m Better Broadband scheme as it celebrated connecting the 10,000th property in Weston-on-the Green, near Bicester.

The council’s cabinet member for business and customer services, Nick Carter, said: “This is a significant milestone.

“We’re currently ahead of where we anticipated to be.”

The programme began last December with the aim of increasing the number of properties that can connect to superfast broadband from 69.5 per cent to 90 per cent.

There are more than 285,000 county homes and businesses and 65,000 of these are now being targeted.

The new cabinets will also be connected to existing cabinets, which currently serve homes with copper wiring.

So far 73 per cent of residents and businesses have superfast broadband but the county council’s programme manager Craig Bower said much of the groundwork has been done to carry out the rollout in time. Another 10,000 homes would be connected by October, leaving hard-to-connect remote areas.

The project is funded by the county council, BT and Government scheme Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK).

Bob Hessian, parish council clerk at Weston-on-the-Green, said there were 42 businesses in the village that would benefit.

He added: “We’ve been on a slow speed ever since broadband was invented in the early 2000s and people who are really going to appreciate it are the small businesses. It will have the biggest benefit since the introduction of mains water.”

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Comments (5)

Meanwhile, little pockets of the middle of Oxford -- one in Grandpont and one in Iffley Road, that I know of -- can't get superfast broadband due to wrangles about the cabinet location.

And nobody seems to give a monkey's: not the local councillor (Bob Price), not BT, not the planning authority, not the highways authority.

Meanwhile, little pockets of the middle of Oxford -- one in Grandpont and one in Iffley Road, that I know of -- can't get superfast broadband due to wrangles about the cabinet location.
And nobody seems to give a monkey's: not the local councillor (Bob Price), not BT, not the planning authority, not the highways authority.docs

For accuracy's sake it is worth noting that the Oxfordshire/BT contract 'aims to get 90% of the county wired up for superfast speeds by the end of next year' where it isn't in West Oxfordshire, where the District Council's own scheme will reach 100% of residents and businesses. The article is incorrect in that it states that West Oxfordshire District Council is 'investing £1.6m to help communities set up their own projects'. The money is actually being invested in local initiative Cotswolds Broadband, helping West Oxfordshire to become the first 100% superfast connected district in the whole of the UK.

For accuracy's sake it is worth noting that the Oxfordshire/BT contract 'aims to get 90% of the county wired up for superfast speeds by the end of next year' where it isn't in West Oxfordshire, where the District Council's own scheme will reach 100% of residents and businesses. The article is incorrect in that it states that West Oxfordshire District Council is 'investing £1.6m to help communities set up their own projects'. The money is actually being invested in local initiative Cotswolds Broadband, helping West Oxfordshire to become the first 100% superfast connected district in the whole of the UK.aitchpee

So what? Fast broadband costs more to use - often hidden in multi-purpose packages - and even more amazingly, not 'everyone' uses the internet, or has a smartphone as part of their outrageously expensive monthly contracts - and compared to South Korea (not North, they still uses cocoa cans and string) the UK's much vaunted 'fast broadband' is very slow. But then, not everybody needs to view films, play silly games or try and access City and County websites, as such people still have something called 'a life' and probably actually speak to neighbours without using Twatter, or sending them an email. As for improving our lives, mobile phones and computers still don't seem to have stopped City Council from only being able to respond to repairs 'am or pm, sir?' or to replace its call centre with realtime, real people who don't have to give you a choice of services or option which you don't need.

So what? Fast broadband costs more to use - often hidden in multi-purpose packages - and even more amazingly, not 'everyone' uses the internet, or has a smartphone as part of their outrageously expensive monthly contracts - and compared to South Korea (not North, they still uses cocoa cans and string) the UK's much vaunted 'fast broadband' is very slow. But then, not everybody needs to view films, play silly games or try and access City and County websites, as such people still have something called 'a life' and probably actually speak to neighbours without using Twatter, or sending them an email. As for improving our lives, mobile phones and computers still don't seem to have stopped City Council from only being able to respond to repairs 'am or pm, sir?' or to replace its call centre with realtime, real people who don't have to give you a choice of services or option which you don't need.Myron Blatz

'...Oxfordshire County Council yesterday said it was ahead of schedule in rolling out its £25m Better Broadband scheme as it celebrated connecting the 10,000th property in Weston-on-the Green, near Bicester.
The council’s cabinet member for business and customer services, Nick Carter, said: “This is a significant milestone.
“We’re currently ahead of where we anticipated to be.”...'

Mr Carter, you are not ahead, West Hanney was supposed to have been connected in August. They've now been told it will be December (but not which December). This is the village which showed the most interest in the pilot study.

By all means, congratulate yourself on a job well done - once you have done it...

'...Oxfordshire County Council yesterday said it was ahead of schedule in rolling out its £25m Better Broadband scheme as it celebrated connecting the 10,000th property in Weston-on-the Green, near Bicester.
The council’s cabinet member for business and customer services, Nick Carter, said: “This is a significant milestone.
“We’re currently ahead of where we anticipated to be.”...'
Mr Carter, you are not ahead, West Hanney was supposed to have been connected in August. They've now been told it will be December (but not which December). This is the village which showed the most interest in the pilot study.
By all means, congratulate yourself on a job well done - once you have done it...Quentin Walker